


A Brief Encounter

by flammable_grimm_pitch



Series: A Lot to Learn [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Casual Sex, Ficlet, Hook-Up, Humor, Implied Sexual Content, Jewish Remus Lupin, Law student Sirius Black, M/M, Mild Language, Semi-Public Sex, Whatever the opposite of slow burn is, no beta we die like men, wolfstar
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 22:55:14
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27894178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/flammable_grimm_pitch/pseuds/flammable_grimm_pitch
Summary: Law student Sirius Black meets grad student Remus Lupin in the library and is instantly taken with him.
Relationships: Sirius Black/Remus Lupin
Series: A Lot to Learn [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2047142
Comments: 2
Kudos: 61





	A Brief Encounter

**Author's Note:**

> This short piece will (hopefully) serve as an introduction to a multi-chapter Jewish!Remus fic I'm planning.
> 
> And shoutout to my CO/WS Discord pal Ampithoe for a great chat on Jewish culture that inspired me to start planning said fic. She's written an _incredible_ Snowbaz Exodus AU called [_Mi Chamocha_](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27349531/chapters/66825319) that y'all need to read ASAP.!

The first time Sirius sees Remus is on campus in the humanities library. He’s dressed up for moot court, forgoing his preferred uniform of ripped jeans and Docs, but Remus is too enraptured by the book in front of him to take notice of the dapper young man eyeing him from the next table over.

“May I sit here?” Sirius asks once he’s worked up enough courage to mosey over and disturb the bookish graduate student. Remus glances up at him over the tortoiseshell frames of his reading glasses, supremely unimpressed at being interrupted, but when he takes in Sirius’ cool silver eyes and pouty lips, he tries to tamp down his annoyance. 

“Rather busy today, isn’t it?” Remus remarks, one corner of his mouth ticking up slightly as he makes a show of looking past Sirius at the rows of empty tables and chairs. The dark-haired man has enough shame to flush at the subtle jab, but seats himself across from Remus nonetheless. He’s not one to pass up an opportunity to chat with an adorable bloke, especially one with an inconspicuous pride button pinned to his messenger bag. 

“Long day ahead of you?” Sirius questions, pulling out his laptop and a thick stack of manila-wrapped documents and setting them out on the table before him. Remus shrugs noncommittally, choosing not to share that he’s got a major assignment due at the end of the week that he should really be working on instead of chatting up campus’ most notorious bachelor. There’s a single speck of glitter on his cheek that shimmers in the light when he tilts his head, and Sirius wants to reach out and brush it away. 

“Long enough,” Remus says, reaching for his brew-filled travel tumbler. “Big day for you, or d’you just fancy dressing like a ponce?” The arched eyebrow that punctuates the ensuing silence is a punch to Sirius’ gut. No one _ever_ speaks to him — sees right through him — this way. Why is this cardigan-clad scholar’s flirtatious indifference both distressing _and_ sexy? 

“I—I have a case to present this afternoon,” Sirius explains quickly. “I’m in law school.” 

“Better than business admin, I suppose,” Remus muses between sips of tea. “What year?” 

“Just doing my GDL,” Sirius says, followed by an almost imperceptible murmur of, “Graduated from business admin last year.” Remus snorts and proceeds to choke on his tea. 

As the tawny-haired student coughs exuberantly to clear his windpipe, Sirius takes a moment to scan the titles of the books stacked on the table beside him. Most have Hebrew titles he can’t decipher (he prefers Latin), and the only one that’s written in English says something about poetry and _midrash,_ which sounds vaguely familiar, but not familiar enough that he knows the word’s meaning. Judging by the books and the hand-shaped pendant hanging at the young man’s throat, Sirius guesses (correctly) his field of research. 

“So, Jewish studies?” He asks politely. Remus can’t speak just yet but when he nods in affirmation, a curl falls out of place onto his forehead. Sirius gazes at his face a moment too long before scrambling to make busy on his computer. If the man across from him notices the extended stare, his expression doesn’t betray the fact. He clears his throat once more before giving his attention to his new table-mate. 

“Preparing to write my thesis for my MA,” he elaborates, gesturing to the books. “I think my parents expected me to follow in my father’s footsteps and join the rabbinate, but, erm…” Another smirk, and he chews on his lower lip as he fishes around in his head for the right words. “Fucking other men is typically frowned upon at seminary.” 

Sirius barks out a laugh that draws the attention of the librarian who, despite the fact that there are only three people in the entire building, shoots him a glare hot enough to melt steel. He gives her a sheepish wave in apology. This isn’t his first infraction, nor will it be his last. 

“I think fucking other men is frowned upon in most public settings,” Sirius replies casually as he turns back to Remus. “Perhaps you should save such extra-curricular activities for home…” He pauses and gazes expectantly at his table-mate. 

“Remus Lupin” he offers. “And _you,_ of course, must be Sirius Black.” 

“Must I?” Sirius inquires, paling at being being identified, either by reputation or some other unknown trait, by a complete stranger. “What if I’d rather be someone else?” 

“Now, there’s a thought,” Remus hums, raising his eyebrows and frowning slightly. “Who would you rather be, if not Sirius Black?” 

Sirius thinks hard on this for a moment, struggling between honesty and a want to impress Remus. He chooses the former, assuming that an attempt at the latter will likely backfire on him. “I suppose I’d want to be my best mate, James,” he says finally, refraining from elaborating more out of deference for his friend’s privacy than anything else. 

“James Potter _is_ a lucky man,” Remus thoughtfully agrees. “Adoring parents, a brilliant and beautiful fiancée, more money than he knows what to do with. Too bad he’s an insufferable twat.” This cheeky assessment earns him another of Sirius’ glorious chuckles. 

“Do you know James and Lily, then?” Sirius asks, surprised but eager to learn of this apparent connection between himself and the object of his flirtations. 

“Lily’s a good friend of mine,” Remus explains. “I had the joy of hearing all about James trying to win her heart through increasingly ridiculous and desperate means all through school, which I have on good authority were often _your_ suggestions.” 

“I take no responsibility for the actions of James Potter,” Sirius says, throwing his hands up in mock defense. “I merely offered solutions to his seemingly impossible predicament. Some of them were a bit unorthodox, I’ll admit—” 

“That’s a word for it, I suppose,” Remus interjects. 

“—But you can’t say his failure was for lack of trying!” Sirius finishes with a wry smile. 

“Have you ever even met a human woman?” Remus accuses, failing to suppress his own incredulous grin. Aside from James, he’s never met someone quite like Sirius before, whose disposition draws so easily him out of his shell. 

“Of course I have, but I’ve never had to _woo_ one,” Sirius scoffs. "Men are entirely different creatures; it’s a much more intuitive process.” 

“Oh?” Remus asks curiously. “How’s that?” 

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sirius shrugs, sliding down a bit in his seat. “If I tell you my secret, I’d have competition.” 

“Can’t have that,” Remus murmurs, his tongue darting out to wet his lips. The toe of a leather brogue bumps tentatively against his ankle, sending a shiver of anticipation through him. When he bows his knee outward, taps Sirius’ shoe with his own, it’s interpreted as the invitation he means it to be. 

Sirius glances toward the circulation desk where the librarian is clacking away at her keyboard before sliding his socked foot out of his shoe and brushing it against the inside of Remus’ leg. They lock eyes, regarding each other intently as Sirius’ foot slides cautiously up Remus’ calf, pauses at his knee before continuing upwards until the sole is pressed against the growing hardness in his trousers. 

Remus’ throat bobs showily when he swallows, a sight that draws a whimper out of Sirius. The concentrated expression on Remus’ face deepens and his pupils grow noticeably wider as Sirius rubs at him, slowly at first, then more insistently the tighter Remus’ jaw becomes. 

“Bathroom, now,” Remus chokes out after another half minute of struggling to restrain himself from bucking his hips into Sirius’ touch. The pair abandon their computers and study materials and make a beeline for the toilets at the back of the library, blindly trusting that no one will show up and steal their belongings in the next ten minutes. 

Together, they crash through the swinging door of the men’s room in a mess of eager hands and mouths. The casual observer might mistake such passionate desperation for fisticuffs, but another half-minute of fumbling at shirt buttons and belt buckles would right any confusion about the matter. 

Remus and Sirius take each other apart in the relative privacy of the seldom-used lavatory, an act that they will repeat several times a week for the remainder of the term, always under similar circumstances. 

And the librarian — well, she won’t say a word, though god knows two grown men should know better than to think their randy shenanigans could go unnoticed by a woman with eyes and ears like a hawk. She chalks it up to the stress of midterms.

**Author's Note:**

> GDL - Graduate diploma in law; one method of becoming a lawyer in the UK is to complete an undergraduate degree and then take a one-year intensive course of study (the GDL), after which a person can choose whether to pursue a career as a barrister or a solicitor (at least, that's my understanding of it.


End file.
